They slept late, waking to the gentle rattle of pine needles in the branches outside. They had fallen asleep to the distant bombing raid, so the sound of nature brought smiles to their faces. They stretched as if it was no more than a lazy Sunday morning in peacetime.
As they walked that day, Elsa had the growing realization that something had changed between them for the better. For once, Sam had slept well, undisturbed by vivid dreams of the horrors he’d seen. Elsa also felt lighter in step. Her feet were better protected, certainly, but she knew it was more than that. Even Klara seemed more enthusiastic, occasionally pointing out a farm animal or an insect she’d found.
The invisible cord that connected her to this British soldier was stronger than ever. Together, they had formed a protective circle where Klara was content to be. Their companionship, which had been built on need, vulnerability and necessity, had strengthened by sharing confidences, renewed understanding of each other and, ultimately, forgiveness for each other and for themselves. She found herself exchanging shy smiles with Sam as, for the first time, it felt that nothing would stop them from reaching their goal. She would look out for him and he would for her and together they would ensure no harm came to Klara.
Yet she had not told him the whole truth. She hadn’t told him about Klara. He did not realize the true extent of the danger Klara was in. It seemed a contradiction that, although she felt she could trust her own life with Sam, her promise to the pastor to protect Klara’s identity at all costs prevented her from telling him Klara’s secret. Even Klara didn’t know of her Jewish identity or her real name. It made it simpler not to place such a heavy burden on such a young child. Born in hiding, she had known little else and it was obvious that the nuns and families who hadcared for her had done well to protect her from the true horrors outside their walls. One day she would learn, but not now. It was refreshing to see her more relaxed and feeling safe in their company.
Sam’s voice dragged her back to the present. ‘We should stop earlier tonight.’
‘We can walk further.’
‘No. The temperature is dropping and I think we should keep healthy and rest a little longer. And this place is too good to ignore.’
Elsa followed his gaze. An isolated house could just be seen nestled behind a wall of trees. Elsa’s mouth fell open.
‘Do you think it is abandoned?’
‘There is only one way to find out. You two should wait here. I’ll take a look first.’
They watched Sam striding determinedly away from them.
‘Where is he going?’ asked Klara.
‘He is going to check if that house is empty.’
‘Are we going to sleep in a proper house tonight?’
A biting easterly breeze suddenly sent a shiver through her. ‘I hope so.’
Elsa had dreamt of sleeping in a house again but had not expected a tailormade sanctuary as if it had been conjured up using a template from her mind. The high-pitched orange roof, green shutters and modest architecture was not dissimilar to many north German houses, but to Elsa it appeared both a modern haven and a castle combined.
A few minutes later, Sam emerged from the trees and waved them to follow him. The temperature dropped further as they walked through the dark shadows of the trees surrounding it. Soon they were stepping into the light again and a small patch of grass by the house. Now Elsa could see that half of the building had been demolished by a bomb, its guts spilling out to beexposed to the elements, but after sleeping rough for so long, that seemed a minor inconvenience.
They surveyed the rubble, guarded from the biting easterly breeze by one exterior wall and the ring of trees.
‘I don’t think it was a targeted bombing,’ said Sam. ‘Roads, bridges, factories and cities make better targets, not an isolated house in the country like this one.’
‘What do you think happened?’
He picked up a splintered piece of wood. ‘It was probably a bomb that was discarded on the way back from a mission. Some fail to drop and need to be prised loose by the crew.’
‘You seem to know a lot about it.’
He smiled. ‘Prisoners have to talk about something. Air crew like to talk more than most.’ He showed her the piece of wood in his hands. ‘We could use this as fuel if there is a fireplace inside.’
They walked around the front of the house together and tentatively opened the door. Although there was a fine film of dust on the floor and surfaces, the kitchen and living room remained largely intact, frozen in time yet bereft of its occupants. Dead flowers hung limply over the side of a vase and a bowl of decaying vegetables sat on the kitchen table.
Elsa walked into the living room. Against the wall stood a wooden Schrank, which was so popular in many homes. The ornate storage cupboard had once displayed precious china. Although some pieces had survived, others were scattered in fragments along the shelves and floor. Elsa was unable to resist touching the ornaments that had survived the bomb, even taking the time to reposition one to show it off to its full glory. It had been weeks since she had last touched such pretty things and although they were frivolous and of no use, somehow touching their smooth, brightly coloured shapes made her feel more human. Each one represented a normal life, where the absence of terror allowed one to place such value in minor objects. Asilver-framed photograph of a proud middle-aged couple and their two young sons standing outside this very house smiled back at her from the middle shelf and she could not resist picking that up too. She stared at the happy family, dressed in their Sunday best, and wondered when it had been taken or where they’d been about to go. Had it been taken before the war when their lives were still untouched by it? Were their sons now old enough to fight? Had they already been killed? She looked at the rubble on the ground. The war had touched it now; the life they’d once known had been destroyed. Would they have smiled like that if they’d known how it would end? She inhaled deeply and released her dark thoughts in a quiet sigh. How she yearned to be free of the heavy weight of war.
Sam dragged something cumbersome through the front door and into the room. ‘Look what I’ve found,’ he announced proudly. ‘A metal bathtub.’
Elsa looked up from the framed photograph.
Sam’s smile faltered. ‘Youdidsay you wanted a bath.’
‘I do.’ She showed him the photograph. ‘I was wondering what happened to the family who lived here. I hope they didn’t die.’
Sam abandoned the metal tub and took the photograph from her hand. They stood side by side in silence as they studied it together.
